Automatic wire clamp feeding device for bottles

ABSTRACT

An automatic device for feeding loop-shaped wire clamps for application to the necks of bottles of wine, champagne, and the like. The device includes a chute for holding a nested pack of wire clamps and means for individually separating the leading clamp from the pack and a magnetic arrangement for carrying and depositing the same in a receptacle whereby the wire clamp can be automatically removed for application to the bottle.

United States Patent 1 1 C k Feb. 26, 1974 AUTOMATIC WIRE CLAMP FEEDING 230,638 8/1880 King 221/210 DEVICE FOR BOTTLES 3,118,2l8 1/1964 Gleason et a1.... 221/212 2,674,737 4/1954 Patterson 221/212 [75] Invento ath1as M. Check, Greenwich, 1,847,139 3/1932 Seaholm et a1. 271/18 A C0nn. I I [73] Assignee: Alfred E. Miller, Greenwich, Conn.; Primary Exami'ferstanley Touberg part interest Assistant Exammer-l-l. Grant Skaggs Attorney, Agent, or FirmAlf1'ed E. Miller [22] Filed: Apr. 27, 1972 21] Appl. No.: 247,961 57 ABSTRACT An automatic device for feeding loop-shaped wire 52 U.S. Cl. 221/212, 221/293 clamps for application to the flecks of bottles of Wine, 51 1111. C1. B65g 59/04 Champagne, and the like- The device includes a chute 58 Field of Search. ..'221/212, 210, 292, 293; for holding a nested P of wire clamps and means 194/41; 294/ 55; 271 A DIG 3 30 30 for individually separating the leading clamp from the A 26 pack and a magnetic arrangement for carrying and de- Y I v positing the same in a receptacle whereby the wire 5 References d I clamp can be automatically removed for application UNITED STATES PATENTS I 3,195,773 7/1965 Hopkins 221 212 6 Claims, 5 Drawing g r s 2,584,466 2/195-2; Kaserman PAIENTEDFEBEEW 3.794212 7 FIGI ilmh PATENTED 3.794212 sum 2 or 3 FIG. 2

PAIENIEUFEBZBIQH saw 3 or 3 IIPL/ FIG. 4

AUTOMATIC WIRE CLAMP FEEDING DEVICE FOR BOTTLES The present invention relates to an automatic wire clamp feeding device for use in bottling plants, such as wineries.

Heretofore, the precedure followed in bottling plants for wine or the like was to manually pick up and applyeach wire clamp in a nest on a rotary index table. Obviously, this was costly since it required the use of an operator. The present invention has overcome this disadvantage of the prior art by making this step in wine production automatic and compatible with the automatic transport of wire clamps and the automatic application of each wire clamp to each bottle. Moreover, there is not only a cost saving factor in the present invention but an increase in the production rate.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a simplified wire clamp feeding device which can be inexpensively constructed; and that can be easily incorporated in wineries or other bottling plants in order to reduce the cost of production and at the same time increase the production rate of the plant.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a compact wire clamp feeding device that takes up less space than previously known wire-loop making and applying machines. 7

An object of the presentinvention is to provide a stepped delivery chute whereby the leading wire clamp is separated from the pack and may be individually transported to its transfer position. I

A further object of the present invention is to provide a magnetic holding and'carrier arrangement for separating the leading wire clampfrom'the stack of clamps.

Another objectof the present invention is to provide a stop or escapement device which when in the hold back position'prevents the remainder of the stacked pack of wire clamps from being released from the delivery chute after'the leading wire clamp is engaged by said magnetic holding and carrier arrangement.

The invention will now be more fully described with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of the automatic wire clamp feeding device for bottles constructed in accordance with .the teachings of sthe present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the device illustrated in FIG. I.

FIG. 3 is a kperspective view of a plurality of nested wire clamps.

FIG. 4 is a front elevational view of the part carrier showing the magnetic elements therein.

FIG. 4a shows a vertical cross sectional view of the magnetic carrier.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION The present automatic feeding device for bottle wire clamps comprises a support plate with a delivery chute l2 mounted'thereo'n having steps 12a and 1212. A stacked pack of loop-shaped wire clamps 18 are adapted to be positioned on the chute 12, and transported to the chute by means of a vibratory feeder 9not shown the latter forming no part of the present invention. The chute sides 14 have mounted thereon a holdback and release spring 16 having a free end that terminates in a laterally disposed resilient hold-back finger 20, only one of which is shown. It will be noted that thefinger is located in a position to engage a front edge i 2 of the leading wire clamp 18a and thereby hold back I the'stacked pack (full line position of FIG. 1). Furtherremainder of the pack and separate therefrom so that the same can be easily removed automatically from the chute 12, as will be fully explained hereinafter. The loopshaped wire clampsl8 are of the type commonly employed with corks of wine and champagne bottles in order to effect a complete sealing of the liquid contents of the bottles. As seen in FIG. 2, the wire clamps 18 in the pack are nested with cork-engaging parts 19 in upright positions. I

A cylinder support arm 22is provided with mounts 24 for a double acting cylinder 26. The piston 28 of the cylinder 26 has a piston rod 30'which is secured at the free end thereof to a movable part carrier 32. FIG..4 illustrates the part carrier having spaced permanent magnets 34 on the face thereof, as well as spaced openings 36 therethrough which are aligned with push-off pins 38 that are rigidly fixed to an upstanding part 22a of the arm 22. A cam finger 40 is provided on the car rier 32 which is adapted to cam the hold back finger 20 to the release position shown in theclotted lineposition of FIG. Lwhen the part carrier 32 moves to a position whereby the magnets 34 attract the leading wire clamp 18a, as shown in dotted lines in FIG. 1.

After the leading wire clamp 18a has been released from the hold back finger 20 and has been magnetically attracted to the magnets 34 on the movable part carrier 32, the latter moves in the direction of the arrows X.

At point Z of this movement of the carrier 32, the pushoff pins 38 project through aligned openings 36 and break the magnetic hold of the magnets 34 on the wire clamp 18a thereby permitting the clamp to fall by gravity into a nest or container 42- (FIG. 2). The nest forms no part of the present invention but has the function to automatically transport each of the wire clamps 18 to a station for inserting each of the clamps over the top reciprocating movable carrier for transporting individual wire clamps from a first position adjacent to said leading wire clamp to a second position for deposit of said clamp, said carrier being provided with openings therethrough, means to hold back said pack as said movable carrier moves to said first position, means on said movable carrier for disengaging said hold back means and magnetic means on said carrier for engaging and holding said leading wire clamp when said carrier is located in said first position, said movablecarrier thereafter transporting said leading wire clamp to said second position, and means at said second position for carrier for disengaging said resilient finger is a cam finger.

6. An automatic wire clamp feeding device as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a double acting cylinder provided with a piston having a piston rod, the latter being connected to said movable carrier for moving the same linearly. 

1. An automatic wire clamp feeding device for corked bottles comprising means for delivering a pack of wire clamps to a station, means for separating the leading wire clamp from the remainder of the pack, a reciprocating movable carrier for transporting individual wire clamps from a first position adjacent to said leading wire clamp to a second position for deposit of said clamp, said carrier being provided with openings therethrough, means to hold back said pack as said movable carrier moves to said first position, means on said movable carrier for disengaging said hold back means and magnetic means on said carrier for engaging and holding said leading wire clamp when said carrier is located in said first position, said movable carrier thereafter transporting said leading wire clamp to said second position, and means at said second position for disengaging said leading wire clamp from said carrier which are elements that project through said openings when said carrier is in said second position to push said leading wire clamp out of engagement with said magnetic means.
 2. An automatic wire clamp feeding device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said means for delivering said pack of wire clamps to said station is a chute.
 3. An automatic wire clamp feeding device as claimed in claim 2 wherein said means for slightly separating said leading wire clamp from the remainder of said pack is a step in said chute.
 4. An automatic wire clamp feeding device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said means to hold back said pack is a resilient finger that engages the faCe of the leading wire clamp of the pack.
 5. An automatic wire clamp feeding device as claimed in claim 4 wherein said means on said movable carrier for disengaging said resilient finger is a cam finger.
 6. An automatic wire clamp feeding device as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a double acting cylinder provided with a piston having a piston rod, the latter being connected to said movable carrier for moving the same linearly. 